Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said the state government needed to continue to invest in mental health services, as well as social and aged care support.
"So much of the work that our paramedics are attending to in growing suburbs is social work, mental health patients, and lower acuity patients," Hill said.
"People genuinely need that assistance, they just don't need paramedics. But when the services they need are not available, they have no option but to call an ambulance."
Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Dr Jonathan Spear said the government should invest further in community health infrastructure and accessibility to take the pressure off emergency departments.
It's estimated that about one in 10 preventable emergency department presentations in Australia is due to dental issues. In a suburb like Brimbank, about 10 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, 17.2 per cent of residents smoke tobacco daily (the Victorian average is 12 per cent).
Mental health disorders, chronic pain, diabetes and heart disease are the most prevalent conditions being managed by primary care in Melbourne's west, according to a federal government assessment.
"That's the big investment opportunity we've got," Spear said. "Community health centres are already facing huge demand now, and they're going to face more in the future."
City of Melton Mayor Steve Abboushi said critical gaps in allied health and community service provision were fuelling inequity and disadvantage in his municipality.
To address the shortfall, the council is investing in a community services hub in Cobblebank, due to open in 2027. The facility, which has received $15 million from the federal government, $4.6 million from the state government and $53 million from council, will provide mental health, disability, refugee and family support services.
Abboushi said the maternal child health service returned to normal operations in February following an intensive recruitment campaign.
A spokesperson for the state government said it was delivering record investment in health across Melbourne's west.
"We're easing pressure on local emergency departments and paramedics by backing alternatives like virtual emergency care and nurse-on-call, a brand-new urgent care clinic in Werribee, doubling capacity at Werribee's ED [emergency department] and [delivering] a fifth ambulance station for the area in Manor Lakes."
The spokesperson said the government was also delivering more free mental health services locally, including the Sunshine Hospital mental health and alcohol and drug emergency hubs, as well as expanded services at the Brimbank Mental Health and Wellbeing Local centre.
The West of Melbourne Summit, presented by WoMEDA with The Age, will be held on October 22-23. For details go to womeda.com.au